KitchenAid Coffee Maker12 Cup Programmable KCM111

When you manage to land some in a mug, this 12 cup programmable KitchenAid coffee maker can deliver great tasting, hot coffee.

But a leaky reservoir, vaporization, and a carafe that doubles as a colander makes the KCM111 one of the worst-rated brewers available.

Owners sum it up:

Hate this thing with a mad, seething passion. That DANG caraffe is...the worst, God-awful design that was ever conceived and put out to market without a single quality control effort. Ever. ..........Renee S

It's not even a small leak, it literally pours a small stream out from under where the spout would be dispensing if it wasn't the most god-awful carafe in the world ..........SSA

I hate this machine so much, I didn't even send it back - threw it in the garbage for the sheer satisfaction of doing so ..........G Evans

Product Details

Reservoir

removable water reservoir easily filled at the sink

The KCM111 KitchenAid coffee maker has a plastic water reservoir with a 12-cup capacity. It is removable for easy filling and easy cleaning. Water level indicator lines are visible on the outside of the transparent reservoir.

A replaceable charcoal water filter fits inside the reservoir. Use is optional.

Under the Hood

The reservoir and brew basket are located under two separate lids. This is a thoughtful feature that prevents coffee grounds from entering the reservoir.

However, the lids open back-to-back, and are so close together that they will not stay open simultaneously. This bothers some owners who like to keep the lids open between uses in order to dry out the insides.

The removable brew basket takes a flat-bottomed paper or permanent filter. A permanent gold tone filter is included with purchase.

A showerhead hot water dispensing system aims for even saturation and optimal extraction.

Carafe

glass carafe with plastic collar

KitchenAid touts the 12 cup glass carafe as "no spill, no drip." Consumers concur that the pour spout itself
is nicely designed for pouring.

The glass carafe is topped with a plastic collar and, on many units, coffee streams freely from a space between the glass and plastic. This causes endless frustration on a daily basis.

A Pause and Serve function holds coffee flow for 15 seconds while you grab the first cup. An audible tone signals the end of the brew cycle.

Other Features

This brewer automatically turns itself off after two hours. The Auto-Off time is pre-programmed to this KitchenAid coffee maker, and is not adjustable.

The gold tone filter, brew basket and carafe are top rack dishwasher safe.

KitchenAid offers an excellent "Hassle Free Warranty". If the coffee maker fails during the first year of ownership, KitchenAid delivers a new identical or comparable replacement to your door, free of charge. You use the new packaging to box up the malfunctioning unit and return to KitchenAid, postage-paid. When you receive a replacement unit, the new unit is also under warranty for an entire year.

Programming

A large bright blue digital clock and display sit on the front of this KitchenAid coffee maker. When the brewer is not in use, the display goes into "sleep mode"; brightness is reduced to save energy.

Also on the display panel:

a 24-hour programmable "Auto On" function

Regular or Bold brew strength adjustment

a "1-4 cup" function, which adjusts the brew cycle for optimum flavor on smaller batches

User Manual

Click image to view or download User Manual

Pros and Cons - What Real Owners Like and Dislike

Pros:

The removable water reservoir is a favorite feature. It is easy to remove and replace. It has a wide, stable base, so it sits evenly on the counter or in the sink for filling. It can be cleaned thoroughly.

Owners agree that the KCM1110B KitchenAid coffee maker does brew great tasting coffee. Some think the "Bold" setting makes a great cup even better.

Most consumers like the bright blue display panel. The clock and programming functions are easy to read no matter what the surrounding light.

Cons:

This KitchenAid coffee maker has a notably high rate of owners proclaiming it the worst brewer they've ever owned.

Owners call this a very "wet" machine. They are always mopping up coffee or water.

Many owners are furious about the carafe. A plastic collar surrounds the top of the carafe. Lots of owners experience coffee leaking out from between the collar and the glass, indicating the plastic is not sealed or bonded onto the glass lip. So, when pouring into a mug, coffee comes out of the pour spout into the mug, but also comes out from underneath the collar and onto the counter.

Some consumers report finding significant amounts of water on the countertop, which seemed to be leaking out of the back near the reservoir area.

A great deal of condensation builds up under the lid of the brew basket. When this lid is opened, the condensation runs out onto the warming plate or it runs back onto the lid of the water reservoir. Either way, it is another mess to mop up.

Some owners report huge amounts of vaporization. Steam covers the cabinet above the brewer and actually drips down. So much water is converted to steam that the brewed pot comes up short.

Some consumers find this KitchenAid coffee maker difficult to program. Most do a lot of trial-and-error with the buttons until they find what they want.

The pre-programmed 2-hour Auto Off function causes frustration. Some owners find their heating plates will not turn on again without actually starting another brew cycle. They must add a small amount of water and let it brew in order to turn the heating element on again.

The lids for the water reservoir and the brew basket are in conflict. It is impossible to leave them both in an open position simultaneously. This becomes a problem for those who want to dry out the insides of this wet machine.

What Our Visitors Say:

Have you used this coffee maker? Tell us what you think!

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I got this coffee maker for christmas, and it's a good coffee maker, it's just an absolutely horrible coffee pourer, it's impossible to pour a cup of coffee without spilling coffee everywhere. I have contacted Kitchen Aid, and since I have no receipt, they wont even speak to me. The pouring spout is very poorly designed, and the coffee dribbles down the pot with more efficiency than into the cup, my kitchen floor is about 30% coffee thanks to this thing. I would not recommend this to anyone, unless you want a good way to pour coffee on your floor.

(Jan 20, 2013) Anonymous said:

It seems to be impossible to remove the carafe lid. Has anyone found a way to do this?

(Sept 30, 2012) Stella said:

This coffee maker has to be the worst ever. Constantly leaks. Gave it to my son as a gift- damaged his kitchen and is simply not useable. I thought Kitchen Aid would be a decent product - very disappointed.

(Apr 10, 2012) Willa said:

I love this coffee maker. It is relatively compact for a 12 cup unit, which is great in my small kitchen. I have no trouble with the removable water tank, dripping, or leaking. My favorite thing is the Bold setting. It makes tasty coffee on the Regular setting, but the Bold setting makes it outstanding. I'd wholheartedly recommend this Kitchenaid.

(Feb 9, 2012) Lindy76 said:

I've had this one for two years. It is very nice looking and I'd recommend it if you usually make 8-12 cup pots. When I make a smaller pot, it never seems hot enough.